The Lions will have an opportunity for redemption and re-entry into the Super Rugby fold when they meet the Kings in the first leg of the promotion and relegation match on Friday evening in Port Elizabeth.
The Lions were ousted last year due to a decision from the South African Rugby Union made in favour of the Kings, who had been promised entry into the Super rugby competition as far back as 2006.
The SARU made the decision at the beginning of last year that the last-placed team in the South African conference would be replaced by the Kings. This came at a very high cost to the Lions franchise as most of their sponsors walked away from the table.
The Problem for the Lions was that financial liabilities virtually crippled them, and their newly found partner, Guma TAC, who was going to acquire a 49.9% stake in the Lions, walked away.
Not that the Kings are any better off. Mismanagement of funds meant that the SARU had to bail them out in what I can only call an undisclosed amount, as the real situation from a financial standpoint has been hidden from public eyes.
How the SARU is going to solve the situation between the Lions and the Kings is pretty much anyone’s guess, and unless the Super Rugby is expanded to include both teams the solution currently on the table is to neither team’s benefit.
How does one acquire the necessary financial backing from sponsors if they aren’t guaranteed their brand will get its fifteen minutes of sunshine?
The reality is both franchises will not be able to move forward until surety about their future is guaranteed.
In the meantime we have the scenario where the two teams will be battling for supremacy over the next two weekends in a home and away, promotion and relegation fixture.
Both teams have announced their squads.
Lions:
15 Ruan Combrinck, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Stokkies Hanekom, 12 Dylan des Fountain, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (c)
Replacements: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Willie Britz , 19 Warwick Tecklenburg, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Chrysander Botha.
Elton Jantjies, Franco van der Merwe and Martin Bezuidenhout, who have been on loan to other Super Rugby franchises, are back and will all start for the Lions.
The Lions welcome back Hendrik Roodt, who has recovered from German measles. Michael Bondesio has recovered from his calf injury, while Warren Whiteley also returns.
Recent results for the Lions (albeit against second-string teams) are:
Lions 74 – Samoa 14
Lions 42 – Stormers 12
Lions 33 – Sharks 29
Lions 50 – Bull 12
Lions 26 – Griquas 12
Although it has to be said that the Lion have been playing some very exciting running rugby, the reality of facing a Kings team who have been toughened by their exploits in Super Rugby may be a far cry from the ‘easybeats’ the Lions have faced recently.
Southern Kings:
15 SP Marais, 14 Marcello Sampson, 13 Ronnie Cooke, 12 Shane Gates, 11 Hadleigh Parkes, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Wimpie van der Walt, 6 Cornell du Preez, 5 David Bulbring, 4 Darron Nell (c), 3 Kevin Buys, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 Schalk Ferreira
Replacements: 16 Charl du Plessis, 17 Hannes Franklin, 18 Steven Sykes, 19 Devin Oosthuizen, 20 Nicolas Vergallo, 21 George Whitehead, 22 Waylon Murray.
Andries Strauss will be replaced by Shane Gates and he will be partnered Ronnie Cooke, SP Marais returns at fullback, while Demetri Catrakilis is back to orchestrate matters from flyhalf.
Hadleigh Parkes, used as a centre earlier in the season, comes in on the right wing, with Marcello Sampson playing on the left. Steven Sykes, the experienced former Sharks player, is on the bench might in what might be regarded as a minor surprise.
The Kings can be rightfully proud of their achievements this season, having won two and drawn one match against the Australian teams must have come as a surprise to many. They have also taken the scalp of the Highlanders in what, in my view, was their best performance of the season.
No matter which of these two teams triumph, a disservice is being done to both, one who will be out in the wilderness for yet another season with the other having to make do with limited stock and finances.
Jerry
Guest
"Sour grapes IMO" Other way round, I'd say. The Aussie and Bok fans who argue that Super 10, and even Super 6 in the case of Reds fans, counting as Super Rugby wins are simply trying to deflect from the complete domination by NZ teams. NZ fans don't honestly care about the Super 10 or Super 6. We didn't much care at the time and just think it's a bit desperate to claim them. The most interesting thing I remember from the Super 10 was one time Transvaal played North Harbour and both teams had almost identical uniforms. Actually though, this conversation has piqued my interest in the Super 10 so I had a look at the wiki page for it. Why was the final always in SA?
Rassie
Roar Rookie
Louis Luyt got old and died Sheek Thats the short answer
Rassie
Roar Rookie
SANZAR can state what they want but the record books show the Super 10 was won by the Lions/Transvaal and by Queensland IF you want to play that game. Super Rugby did not start in 1996. The Super 12 did The competition was known as Super 12 through to the end of the 2005 season; the name was changed to Super 14 with the addition of two teams for the 2006 season; with expansion to 15 teams in the three countries for the 2011 season, the competition has been rebranded as Super Rugby. So no the only teams that won Super rugby so far is the Reds and the Chiefs Just because SANZAR did not exist did not mean it did not happen. I think most supporters who deny anything prior to 1996 will be mostly Kiwi supporters. Sour grapes IMO
Rassie
Roar Rookie
So out of a possible 150 players you can come up with 17 names where 12 of them are at the Kings. So what are you trying to prove exactly? This is the Bulls squad Bjorn Basson Griquas Ulrich Beyers Pumas Arno Botha - Limpopo Blue Bulls JJ Engelbrecht EP Louis Fouché - Leopards Dean Greyling Grant Hattingh Francois Hougaard WP Zane Kirchner SWD Frik Kirsten Juandré Kruger WP Werner Kruger Cheetahs Lionel Mapoe Cheetahs Sampie Mastriet Boland Bongi Mbonambi EP Morne Mellett Falcons Akona Ndungane Border Wynand Olivier Cheetahs Rudy Paige SWD Handrè Pollard WP Dewald Potgieter Border Jacques Potgieter EP Chiliboy Ralepelle Jan Serfontein Cheetahs William Small-Smith Cheetahs Pierre Spies Wilhelm Steenkamp WP Deon Stegmann Cheetahs Morné Steyn Cheetahs/WP Flip Van der Merwe Cheetahs Francois Venter Cheetahs Jano Vermaak - Lions Callie Visagie WP Jurgen Visser WP Willie Wepener Lions Paul Willemse Lions Marcel van der Merwe Cheetahs Cornell Hess - SWD Jean Cook - Cheetahs Grant Hattingh WP Shaun Adendorf Lions Ruaan Snyman - Leopards Clayton Blommetjies - Boland Prior 2005 Shared with SWD Western Province union, but also draw players from the Boland Cavaliers As for Serfontein 2006 – Eastern Province (Under 13 Coca-Cola Craven Week) 2008 – Under 16 Elite Squad (Elite Squads), Eastern Province (Under 16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week) 2009 – Free State (Under 16 Grant Khomo Week) 2011 – Free State (Under 18 Coca-Cola Craven Week), SA Schools No one will pass on Grey Bloem or stay at Grey PE when they get a chance no one. So EP will always lose those players. Super Rugby money or not. Try and see how many guys from WP is at each union.
atlas
Guest
Lions won the first promotion/relegation match 26-19 Kings – Tries: Marcello Sampson, Steven Sykes. Penalties: Demetri Catrakilis (3). Lions – Tries: Stokkies Hanekom (2). Conversions: Elton Jantjies (2). Penalties: Jantjies (4). The Kings will need to win next week's match in Johannesburg by eight points, and ensure that they don't concede four tries, to prevent the Lions from advancing. Advantage is with the Lions, a win 'away' in Port Elizabeth and will be favourites to win next week's encounter at their home ground of Ellis Park.
Wii
Guest
Disagree with it all you like Biltong however Sanzars records state Super rugby began in 1996. So quite simply put anything before is not valid when discussing Super Rugby titles it really is that simple end of story!
Photon
Guest
Sorry meant whole
fredstone
Guest
That was part of the problem, the whole UJ rugby fratenity got so far upeach other's backsides that they couldn't see the crap comming. Loffie is good at developing players though, so maybe there was some justification there
I was told by an inside source at the Lions Rugby Union that Loffie Eloff at the time spent a boatload on contracting players out of school, players who had to eventually play varsity cup as there was no place for them at under 21 Currie Cup or Vodacom Cup. That is where a lot of money went.
Gordon Pearson
Guest
It kind of reminds me of the NFL not having a team in Los Angeles. Hard to comprehend.
fredstone
Guest
The GRU is basically a professional body run by a bunch of part timers. That is until Kevin De Klerk took over, but by that time the mess was huge. Apparently they squanderd the R10 million cash they were sitting on in the space of four or five seasons, without any returns on the field. The real irony though is that the person responsible for there current woes is a chap by the name of Jannie Ferreira who together with Cheeky Watson conspired to appoint Peter De Villiers as coach after Heyneke Meyer had been told to quit his job at the Bulls already. So this is probably just the universe's way of payback.
chris
Guest
It not quite the same though. The majority of potential Lions fans live only slightly closer to Ellis Park than Loftus Versfeld. Also, Auckland and Sydney produce the majority of rugby players in New Zealand and Australia. Johannesburg doesn't produce many players at all. It is sad though. Rugby in South Africa would be better for a healthy Lions, but reintroducing them to Super Rugby is very unlikely to fix the problems that they have been struggling with for the last twenty years.
Good question Sheek, I fear the answer is buried under heaps of red tape and embarrassed administrators.
GWS
Guest
It's all our job to promote rugby. Everyone has a favorite jersey. Wearing it with pride is promoting rugby.
sheek
Roar Guru
Not having the Lions from Jo'burg in super rugby is like not having the Tahs from Sydney or Blues from Auckland. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. Of course, while it might be easy to blame the quota system, or ideology, or the SARU, how the hell did the TRU (Transvaal) or GRU (Gauteng), or whoever they're called these days, ever allow this to happen?
Something I wholly disagree with to be honest, where do the three years preceding fall? In a twilight zone?
Wii
Guest
Super rugby is widely recognised as starting in 1996 and it never ceases to amaze me that people try and claim honours from pre this era. In what is recognised as Super rugby only 6 teams have won the competition and sadly the Lions are not one of them. Blues, Crusaders, Brumbies, Bulls, Reds and Chiefs
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
I'd prefer to see it go to 4 conferences of 8 team if it were to go down that path. We could do 8 provinces. We already have the set ups. Introduce NSW Country based primarily out of Newcastle (though they should look to rotate their games around the larger centres), same with Queensland Country. An eighth would be a toss up between Western Sydney or SA. Though, if they could repeat the 12,000 they received earlier this season a team in Hobart might be interesting :D With a fourth conference the easy answer would be to put the pressure on the Argentine Union to elevate Campenato Argentino including the Chilean and Uruguayan squads. Of course, this would only be an option if the TV deal would prove to be sufficiently large enough to support it. Each conference could then play each other on a home and away basis. The top 2 from each conference progress through to a 6 to 8 team finals series. Could even look to have a secondary series for the next two from each conference. You could in theory even throw it out to the US and Canadian Unions that if they could organise it, then they would be looked at seriously for a conference. People may argue that this could lead to a dilution of the product but the chance to increase the opportunity for players across the board in each nation/region would be well worth it. Plus, as evidenced in the likes of the Currie and ITM Cup the dilution can often lead to a better product in terms of entertainment by creating greater degree's of mismatches which would lead to play opening up a bit more.
chris
Guest
Interesting that you mention schooling. If you do a breakdown of the Bulls team to play this weekend according to schooling you come up with the following. 5 - EP (Kings) * 1 - SWD (Kings) 1 - Border (Kings) 4 - Freesate (Cheetahs) * 2 - Blue Bulls (Bulls) 1- Gaunteng Lions (Lions) 1 - Western Province (Stormers) Not that it means anything, but it is interesting to look at where the players come from. * Jan Serfontein was counted as a Freestater, but only moved from Grey High School to Grey College in grade 11 for rugby.
Rassie
Roar Rookie
Remember this? http://mg.co.za/article/2011-05-14-lions-maul-woeful-brumbies-in-canberra